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My personal experiences as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) teaching English in Japan are the basis for this series. I hope my observations can also shed some light on English education in Japan, and I hope they inspire you to come and teach here one day.
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As the balance of power in the world continues to shift eastward, there has been an increased focus in many non-English-speaking Asian countries on improving English proficiency. According to the most recent 2018 EF Proficiency Index, Japan ranked 49th in English proficiency, while China ranked 47th and South Korea ranked 31st.
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Although English has improved greatly in the tourism industry, there is certainly room for improvement in other industries as Japanese companies look to do more business overseas.
The good news is that Japan is introducing radical reforms to its English education system that are sure to improve Japanese English proficiency in the coming years.
Starting in 2020, students applying to university in Japan will face an English component of the entrance exam, which will focus on speaking and writing in English. This has had a major impact on the way English is taught in the classroom, giving more focus to interactive communications as opposed to prioritizing reading and listening exercises.
In addition, teaching in English will be compulsory for 3rd and 4th grade students. However, many regions of Japan have already started introducing English at a much earlier age. This is where I come in.
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In August 2018, I came to Japan through the JET program as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) and was sent to Fukushima to teach English. The JET program stands for Japan Exchange and Teaching, and has a 32-year history of bringing university graduates to Japan to teach English and promote internationalization locally.
I work in eight different schools: a nursery school, three kindergartens, three primary schools and a secondary school. I’m sure you can all imagine my surprise when I found out that I would be working in so many schools, but honestly, it’s actually worked out pretty well. As the only English teacher in my town, it has put me in a very unique position of being able to teach English to all the students in the area.
Those of us on the JET program are located all over the country, many of them in rural areas where English speakers are generally hard to find. Having JET in these communities gives us the opportunity to engage in a cultural exchange with the locals as well as the students and teachers we work with.
Throughout the history of the JET program, there have been more than 68,000 participants from 73 countries, making it one of the largest and most successful international programs in the world.
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There are three places you can choose from when you apply for the JET programme. The first is the ALT position, the one I applied for. The second is a Coordinator of International Relations (CIR) position, which focuses on work related to international exchange activities in the communities (it is important to note that speaking Japanese is a requirement for this role). The third position is the Sports Exchange Advisor (SEA), which is for sports professionals to promote internationalization through sports training and sports-related project planning.
Whichever role you choose to apply for, make sure your skills match the eligibility criteria. Otherwise, your application will not be successful.
There is a saying among members of the JET program: “Every experience is different.” A big factor in this will be the new place you call home.
In the JET program application, you will be able to list 3 prefectures in Japan where you would like to work and indicate whether you prefer a rural or non-rural area.
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My three choices were Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Sendai, which represent southern, central, and northern Japan respectively. I wasn’t sent to any of the three, but to be honest, I could have been placed anywhere in Japan and I would have been just as happy.
Regardless of your location, I’m sure you’ll come to Japan as one person and leave as someone completely different.
There have been many studies suggesting that ex-JETs have been an important source of “soft power” for Japan. Many ex-JETs work in Japan or for Japanese companies overseas, which is quite remarkable when you think about how they will continue to contribute to Japan’s growth even long after their time with the program is complete.
Teaching English in Japan has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life so far. For many of my students, I am their first real encounter with someone from outside of Japan, which is an honor for me. Every time I stand in front of the class, I can’t help but think about how these students will one day be part of a more globalized Japan and hopefully do many great things.
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(In the next article in this series, I’ll share experiences from my work teaching English in a Japanese preschool and explain why it’s one of the most fun places to teach.)
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Or at least that’s how it usually is; however, things are beginning to change. One of the reasons most teachers were so homogenous was that there wasn’t as much choice in the past. As Japan has become more internationalized, it is increasingly common to see non-native teachers appearing among native teachers.
At my previous company, I was in charge of hiring new teachers and after the millionth teacher whose only value was their place of birth, I soon became interested in seeing something different. As a result, I actually hired quite a few non-native teachers, and for the most part they were some of the best teachers we had.
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For many jobs, it’s worth thinking about what value you can add to the job that sets you apart from other candidates, and English teaching is no exception. Despite what some companies may think, in certain situations non-native speakers have advantages over native speakers.
For example, many native speakers have never taken common language tests such as TOEIC or IELTS and can only offer platitudes about exam technique or practice for these tests. Contrast this with non-native teachers who often know exactly how to improve their students’ scores and pass tests.
Even if your score isn’t that high, knowing things like the best books to read and techniques to use can be invaluable. The golden rule of business that you don’t need to know everything, just make sure you know more than your customer, definitely applies here.
Another source of value can be your native language. Recently, there has been a growing call for people with knowledge of multiple languages, especially for countries that do a lot of trade with Japan. Even if you speak a less popular language, there are other things you can offer, such as setting up exchange programs or virtual tours of your country.
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Another place where people can add value is by thinking about other skills they might have. Especially for younger students, fun skills, hobbies, and unique interests will set you apart. Many cultures have unique cuisines, dances, songs, and other cultures that are perfect for use in the classroom.
Another argument that convinced me was that even those non-native speakers who struggle with native-level pronunciation and vocabulary can be offered a unique perspective on the language through English as a lingua franca (ELF) skills ).
The basic principle of ELF is that English should be “defined functionally by its use in intercultural communication rather than formally by its reference to the norms of native speakers”. What this basically means is that as long as the language uses functional skills and tools to communicate, it is doing its job correctly.
Japanese employers are much more likely to use ELF skills than native English speakers (despite what the English school may claim in their promotional material!). For the most part, native-level skills are not necessary, as most students only acquire beginner-intermediate skills.
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Therefore, a non-native speaker who is particularly well-versed in using English as a medium of communication and sees it as a useful toolkit could be really useful for any language school.
Of course, another option is simply to be better qualified
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